Herbert Wakefield Banks Skinner
Encyclopedia
Herbert Wakefield Banks Skinner (7 Oct 1900 – 20 Jan 1960) was a British physicist.
He was born in Ealing, London the only son of George Herbert
, a director of the shoemaking firm of Lilley and Skinner, and Mabel Elisabeth Skinner. He was educated at Durston House
School in Ealing and Rugby School
. In 1919 he entered Trinity College, Cambridge
, gaining his B.Sc in 1922. He then did research there at the Cavendish Laboratory
for five years, and was awarded a Ph.D. He then moved to the Wills Physical Laboratory in Bristol to continue his research (1927–1939).
During WWII he was engaged on the development of radar at the Telecommunications Research Establishment
and on the atomic energy project at Berkeley University, California. After WWII he became a director of the General Physics Division at the Atomic Energy Research Establishment
in Harwell
. The Russian spy, Klaus Fuchs
, was a close friend and stayed with him in his house prior to Fuchs arrest in 1950. Skinner was appointed Lyon-Jones Professor of Physics at Liverpool University (1949–1960)
In March 1942 he was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society. His candidature citation read: Wills Research Fellow and Lecturer in Spectroscopy. Associated with Ellis in early work on beta-ray spectra (1924) and with Kapitza on Zeeman effect (1925). Carried out experiments on excitation processes in gases (1926-7) and evaluated the excitation function for helium (1932). Distinguished for his work on the excitation potentials of metals and the emission and absorption of soft X-rays by solids (1932 onwards). Responsible for marked advances in the technique of soft X-ray investigations which have enabled him to show for the first time the details of the fine-structure of the emission bands and the absorption edges. His interpretation of his results has provided the only direct evidence for the existence of 'Brillouin zones' in metals and much detailed information about their properties. His work is characterized by experimental skill of high order and an acute understanding of theory.
He died in Geneva on a visit to the European Organisation for Nuclear Research. He had married Erna Abrahamsohn, an Austrian, in Bristol in 1931.
He was born in Ealing, London the only son of George Herbert
George Herbert Skinner
George Herbert Skinner was a British shoe and carburettor manufacturer. He was born in April 1872 in the London Borough of Ealing as the son of the shoemaker William Banks Skinner, owner of the company Lilley & Skinner. Herbert Skinner entered the management of Lilley & Skinner and in 1903 he...
, a director of the shoemaking firm of Lilley and Skinner, and Mabel Elisabeth Skinner. He was educated at Durston House
Durston House
Durston House is a private preparatory school based in the London Borough of Ealing, United Kingdom. It is located on castlebar road and longfield road . It is a noted feeder school of St. Pauls Westminster and Latymer Upper schools. Its current Headmaster is Ian Kendrick, who succeeded the late...
School in Ealing and Rugby School
Rugby School
Rugby School is a co-educational day and boarding school located in the town of Rugby, Warwickshire, England. It is one of the oldest independent schools in Britain.-History:...
. In 1919 he entered Trinity College, Cambridge
Trinity College, Cambridge
Trinity College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge. Trinity has more members than any other college in Cambridge or Oxford, with around 700 undergraduates, 430 graduates, and over 170 Fellows...
, gaining his B.Sc in 1922. He then did research there at the Cavendish Laboratory
Cavendish Laboratory
The Cavendish Laboratory is the Department of Physics at the University of Cambridge, and is part of the university's School of Physical Sciences. It was opened in 1874 as a teaching laboratory....
for five years, and was awarded a Ph.D. He then moved to the Wills Physical Laboratory in Bristol to continue his research (1927–1939).
During WWII he was engaged on the development of radar at the Telecommunications Research Establishment
Telecommunications Research Establishment
The Telecommunications Research Establishment was the main United Kingdom research and development organization for radio navigation, radar, infra-red detection for heat seeking missiles, and related work for the Royal Air Force during World War II and the years that followed. The name was...
and on the atomic energy project at Berkeley University, California. After WWII he became a director of the General Physics Division at the Atomic Energy Research Establishment
Atomic Energy Research Establishment
The Atomic Energy Research Establishment near Harwell, Oxfordshire, was the main centre for atomic energy research and development in the United Kingdom from the 1940s to the 1990s.-Founding:...
in Harwell
Harwell
Harwell may refer to:*Harwell, Nottinghamshire, England*Harwell, Oxfordshire, England, a village**RAF Harwell, a World War II RAF airfield, near Harwell village....
. The Russian spy, Klaus Fuchs
Klaus Fuchs
Klaus Emil Julius Fuchs was a German theoretical physicist and atomic spy who in 1950 was convicted of supplying information from the American, British and Canadian atomic bomb research to the USSR during and shortly after World War II...
, was a close friend and stayed with him in his house prior to Fuchs arrest in 1950. Skinner was appointed Lyon-Jones Professor of Physics at Liverpool University (1949–1960)
In March 1942 he was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society. His candidature citation read: Wills Research Fellow and Lecturer in Spectroscopy. Associated with Ellis in early work on beta-ray spectra (1924) and with Kapitza on Zeeman effect (1925). Carried out experiments on excitation processes in gases (1926-7) and evaluated the excitation function for helium (1932). Distinguished for his work on the excitation potentials of metals and the emission and absorption of soft X-rays by solids (1932 onwards). Responsible for marked advances in the technique of soft X-ray investigations which have enabled him to show for the first time the details of the fine-structure of the emission bands and the absorption edges. His interpretation of his results has provided the only direct evidence for the existence of 'Brillouin zones' in metals and much detailed information about their properties. His work is characterized by experimental skill of high order and an acute understanding of theory.
He died in Geneva on a visit to the European Organisation for Nuclear Research. He had married Erna Abrahamsohn, an Austrian, in Bristol in 1931.